


it was easy to say to you

by tonystarkssnipples



Series: Dog!Verse [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dogs, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Established Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24741742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonystarkssnipples/pseuds/tonystarkssnipples
Summary: Tony says "I love you" for the first time everAlso, there are dogs
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Dog!Verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1789111
Comments: 7
Kudos: 145





	it was easy to say to you

**Author's Note:**

> This part is set in roughly 2014.
> 
> Alright, who am I? Posting multiple things? What?
> 
> Because I know I'm going to be asked: Charles and Matilda ARE Woofer and Yippie from the other part.
> 
> These are NOT posted in order, however, the order in the series will be correct, regardless of the publish date.

Tony said it first. 

He’d never said it out loud before, but he’d thought it a few times; during Jarvis’s funeral, during his mom’s. One time, after Pepper helped patch him up after a sticky battle, he’s pretty sure he thought it, but can’t really remember.

There’s no hesitation, this time. Steve kissed his cheek when they were walking home from a date, some six months into their relationship, and it fell out. He didn’t even panic after because he knew, in his heart of hearts, that this was the feeling he’d never thought existed. 

Then, “Do you wanna meet my cat?” It was another thing that Tony had never said. 

“You have a cat?”

“Her name’s Chonk. What I told you was a closet at the end of the hall is actually her room. She… doesn’t love strangers.” Tony smiled up at Steve. “But I think she’ll like you.”

Chonk took to Steve like a boat to water. That's when Tony knew Steve was the one.

* * *

Two days later, he called Rhodey. Rhodey answered, "Who's dying?" And Tony responded, "I love you." Now that he said it to Steve, he realized the world wouldn't end if he showed he cared.

Rhodey was silent. "Are  _ you _ dying?"

"Quite the opposite, sugar bear. I think I'm finally coming alive."

* * *

They hadn’t gone out with the intent to get her. They were walking Charles, Steve’s stupid ass dog that he honest to God rescued from a burning building, and they happened across a Last Chance puppy adoption. When they walked into the fenced-off area, a tiny white  _ thing _ ran up to them. It yipped in circles around Tony’s legs and shoved it's nose deep into Charles’s ass.

Tony knew he shouldn’t have picked it up, but he did and he just knew that no one could ever care for it more than he would. So they filled out the paperwork, named her Matilda, and paid for all the adoption fees for the rest of the dogs so anyone could afford to adopt them.

They went to ice cream, the four of them, and Matilda wouldn’t stop running in circles around his legs, tangling the leash and tripping him no less than three times.

Tony accidentally on purpose dropped his vanilla ice cream and let Matilda slurp it up. "I love you, pretty girl," he cooed. He scooped her into his arms and she licked his face. Charles woofed. Then, Tony checked his surroundings and kissed Steve quickly on the lips. "And I love you."

* * *

Steve took a little longer. Just because he didn't say the words, though, Tony knew. It was in every move they made together. It was the toothbrush by Tony's sink and the book on what was now Steve's side of the bed and Charles's dog bed in the penthouse living room and Steve moving in without there needing to be a discussion. 

The first time he said it was nine months into the relationship when he got down on one knee and asked Tony to marry him.

Tony said, "Yes, but not yet," and Steve didn't bring it up again until almost their two year anniversary when Tony said, "Yet." They went to the courthouse the next day.

* * *

Being with Steve made Tony realize that he had always loved, deeply and passionately. The words had been stuck somewhere deep inside him but he recognized now that he was saying  _ I love you _ 's all over the place. 

He still saved the words. Let his actions reflect what he meant, just as he had before. But he thought the words now. All the time.

He never said, "Love ya" or anything of the sort. It was always "I love you." With a big bold period at the end.

**Author's Note:**

> charles is basically a bigger version of doger, and this is [matilda](https://t1.ea.ltmcdn.com/en/images/4/0/0/fluffy_white_dog_breed_pomeranian_3004_6_600.jpg)


End file.
